This invention describes a new and unique ergonomic handgrip with separate ulnar and radial support means that divides the pressure between the heel of the hand and the thumb area along with removing the pressure in the central palmer crease adjoining the wrist. The inventors, being bicycle enthusiasts, have been very familiar with the fingers and hands going numb on long rides. Their initial intention was to cure the problem for bicycle enthusiasts and motorcycle riders by coming up with a new and unique ergonomic handlebar grip. Through their development and extensive research of the product they devised a unique shape that divides the pressure on the grip between the ball of the hand and the thumb area adjoining the wrist which completely removes any pressure on the carpel tunnel or central palmer area of the hand and wrist. Additionally, this invention provides a means to maintain the wrist in a more comfortable relaxed neutral position, not being bent up or down. Another unforeseen feature of this invention is the increased handgrip leverage and control with less operator effort due to extended contact points or ridges on the extremities of the heel or ulnar support area, and the thumb or radial support area. Many water sports vehicles like jetskis put a great deal of pressure on the central palmer area of the hand, and in the cold environment individuals often find their hands going numb.
These along with other unique features have not only solved the problems incurred with bicycle and motorcycle riding, but they have been found to be easily adaptable to other hand gripping devices. This is accomplished by using a dog-bone shape with an ulnar or heel support area with a cavity conforming to the shape of the heel of the hand and a radial or thumb support with a cavity conforming to the shape of the thumb of the hand where it joins the wrist. The ulnar or heel support and the radial or thumb support are angled so as to keep the wrist in a neutral position in relation to the device and are divided by a median groove that blends up into the gripping area of the device. It must be understood that the angle of the ulnar or heel support and the radial or thumb support may change to accommodate different positions of the hand and wrist and still remain within the scope of this patent. The median groove between the ulnar or heel support and the radial or thumb support maintains a space between the device and the carpel tunnel or central palmer area of the hand. With the ulnar or heel support area and the radial or thumb support area in the unique dog-bone shape supporting the wrist, the fingers and thumb have more than adequate gripping surface on the device. With the advent of this new and unique gripping means there will be the requirement of having a left and right hand model, along with varying sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,640 of A. Robert Spitzer describes a cushion pad for preventing carpal tunnel syndrome and is adapted to be placed between the grip or shaft of a tool and a hand. The cushion pad includes a recess within a predetermined size range for protecting the median nerve by eliminating gripping pressure thereon. The cushion pad may be configured as a cylindrical grip attached to the tool or as a hand glove to be placed on the hand prior to grasping the tool. The cushion pad may include positioning flanges for positioning the median nerve over the recess. The 640 patent of Spitzer tells of a pad with a recess that wraps around the handle bar, grip or shaft of a tool in a cylindrical fashion and is designed to go across the hand beneath the knuckle area. It is not designed to spread the pressure across the base of the hand between the heel and the thumb area adjacent to the wrist.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,515 of John P. Sjostrom, Sr. teaches of a handlebar hand protector for the use on snowmobiles, bicycles, motorcycles and other devices having similar handlebars, comprising two flexible sleeves each having a narrow end and a wide end, the narrow end having a means of attaching to a handlebar allowing entry of a hand to grasp the handlebar within the sleeve. This device does not relieve the centralized pressure on the ulnar and median nerve included when an individual holds a tubular handgrip for a prolonged period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,762 of James H. Jannard describes a lightened handgrip that contains hand engagable openings as in a flange and/or a grip body. In addition, a treaded pattern may be provided on the grip body. The 762 invention by Jannard describes a handgrip with a flange along the lower side with openings or orifices corresponding to the location of the fingers whereby when the handgrip is squeezed there is less resistance in these areas, allowing the grip to conform to the shape of the finger area of the hand. It does not relieve the pressure exerted on the central palmer or carpel tunnel area of the hand when the natural downward pressure is applied on the tubular upper section of the handgrip.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,661 of Fredrick T. Cullen discloses a protector for the hand of a rider on a bicycle or a motorcycle which is of semicircular shape having an arcuate mid-section terminating at its opposite ends in retainers for detachably mounting on the handlebars of the vehicle about the hand grips thereof. The 661 invention of Cullen tells of a guard device for protecting the hands of a rider while holding onto a conventional tubular handgrip. These handgrips put undo pressure on the central palmer area of the hands of the rider.
U.S. Pat. No. Des 248,616 of George A. Johnson is a design patent that approaches the intentions of this hereindisclosed patent by adopting an extended portion to support the thumb area of the palm of the hand joining the wrist. The problem being that it still leaves the central tubular area that translates along the central palmer area of the hand putting pressure on the carpel tunnel area when pressure is exerted downwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,069 of Michael A. Roark et al. This patent describes a method of making a handgrip including positioning within a mold cavity, with a tubular member having a sidewall with at least one opening in the sidewall, and injecting fluid resilient material into the cavity and between the tubular member and the core. The 616 invention of Roark discloses a unique manufacturing method of handgrips, but does not indicate anything other than a conventional circular handgrip design.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,901 of Virginia H. O'Brien discloses an ergonomic palm support. The arch support is comprised of a plate having support edges made to conform to the palm of the hand. The support bridges the palm between the thumb side and the little finger of the ulnar side of the palm of the hand and extends from adjacent the distal wrist crease to the palmar crease. The support is molded to fit partially around the thumb and a portion of the heel of the hand. The support is held in place with a glove or with fasteners. When gripping an object, such as a handle bar of a bicycle for example, the arch of the hand is supported to reduce ulnar and median nerve compression damage while the hand supports part of the upper body weight on the handlebars of a bicycle. The support is made of a sufficiently rigid material so that it will distribute the loads supported on the handlebars across a wider surface of the palm of the hand, particularly by spanning the carpel tunnel and Guyon's canal to avoid damage to the median and ulnar nerves. The 901 patent of O'Brien is endeavoring to solve the same problem as the soindisclosed patent by using a rigid structure within a glove to prevent pressure on the central palmer area of the hand, but does not maintain or support the wrist in the neutral position and does not involve a handgrip type of device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,365 of William P. Hesley describes an ergonomic hand support for use with a computer mouse. This invention is a hand support device for use with a computer-pointing device. The 365 patent of Hesley tells of a cushion to be held adjacent to a conventional computer mouse and does not deal with the structural shape of the mouse or computer-pointing device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,553 of Mark R. Goldstein et al. This ergonomic mouse allows for the operator's hand to remain in a relaxed position in as near a state of repose as possible while operating the mouse. The 553 invention of Goldstein tells of a generally spherical computer mouse with unique placement of the actuating buttons, but it does not have the central groove to relieve pressure on the carpel tunnel area or the support of the thumb or heel of the hand. This is still a universal mouse to be used by the individual in the left or right hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,805 of James J. Reid et al. describes an ergonomic computer mouse. A manually movable computer mouse with a mouse movement sensing system for providing mouse movement signals, and at least one user finger operable control switch, for providing control signals for a graphic user interface. The mouse has a boomerang shaped body ergonomically shaped to fit and support the user's hand in a naturally relaxed curled hand position, with a main body portion and a narrower neck portion extending at an angle of about 45 degrees to 90 degrees to the main body, narrow enough to be interposable between the thumb and first finger, with an integral mouse movement control fin or tab extending above the mouse body and being thinly shaped to fit in the relaxed space between the first and second fingers (and to also provide an alternate pen-like grip between the thumb and first finger) to orient the mouse to the users hand and move the mouse with user arm movements. An integral wrist support may be provided extending from the wrist end of the mouse. The movement sensing system is adjacent to that same end. The 805 patent of Reid tells of a unique structure for the actuating buttons and finger placement, but does not deal with the support of the palmer area and the elimination of the pressure on the carpel tunnel area of the hand. Additionally, this patent makes use of a trailer unit to be positioned by the operator and attached by means of a hook loop attachment. The trailer has a raised portion in the area of the central palmer crease that will actually increase on the carpel tunnel area.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved gripping mechanisms to alleviate the pressure on the carpel tunnel area or central palmer crease of the hands of individuals involved in the prolonged gripping of such devices, as well as to maintain the wrist in its natural neutral position.